Soon We Will Be Saying ‘Bonjour’ to Ratatouille!

This week, Walt Disney World announced the official grand opening date for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure at EPCOT as October 1, 2021 (the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World AND the 39th anniversary of EPCOT)! So, now seems like the perfect time to share some of my photos of the first phase of the new France pavilion expansion at EPCOT and what we know about all that is to come…

For the 2021 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival, a beautifully sculpted topiary of Remy has been erected near the entrance to the new France pavilion expansion. Great photo opportunity!

Earlier this year, the first phase of the pavilion expansion was opened for guests to tour and enjoy - and it is BEAUTIFUL! The theming is seamless with the existing France pavilion, which was one of the original nine pavilions in the World Showcase when EPCOT opened in 1982.

The Parisian inspired buildings and grounds are filled with detailing and easter eggs that point toward the expansion’s connection to the 2007 Disney/Pixar Ratatouille movie, which won that year’s Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The near-complete and much-anticipated Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure attraction, was originally slated to open during the summer of 2020. Due to the impact Covid-19 had on construction projects at the parks, the decision was made to push back the opening to the new date (10/1/21).

The ride experience will “shrink” guests down to the size of a rat (like Remy!) as they race through a culinary adventure in the kitchen of Chef Auguste Gusteau. The attraction is a family-friendly 3-D ‘dark ride’ that employs a trackless technology for propelling the rat-race ride vehicles. Fun fact….this ride will be nearly identical to the existing ride located at Disneyland Paris!

Also incorporated in the new expansion, and expected to open alongside Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, will be LaCreperie de Paris. This new restaurant will be both a table-service and quick-service dining venue. While it has yet to be published, we do know the restuarant’s menu is being created by celebrity French chef Jerome Bocuse and is said to include sweet crepes and savory crepes called “galettes”. (I can’t decide if I am more excited for the new ride or the crepes!)

When Disney Parks add attractions and restaurants - what else can we always expect? Beautifully themed bathrooms, of course! And, the best part? These bathrooms are already open for service to help offset the need created by the temporary construction work currently underway on the bathrooms located in the Moracco pavilion next door.

Want a bird’s-eye view of all the happenings at the new pavilion expansion at EPCOT? Take a ride on Disney’s Skyliner! This vantage point highlights just how large and impressive this area is and even provides a glimpse behind the walls of the portions yet to be unveiled. If you are interested in planning a Walt Disney World vacation to visit this new area or to celebrate the resort’s 50th anniversary, contact me today. My planning services and expertise are always FREE to clients who book their vacation through me! Au revoir!